Bay Street (Santa Monica)
Bay Street Beach · The Inkwell
Now
Thu Nov 5 · 12–3 PM forecast
3–4 ftwaist to chest
Best tomorrow · Fri 6
Compare bothNothing good left today.
Best tomorrow · Fri 6, 7:45 to 10 AM Pacific.
2–3 ft · thigh to waist
Small waves, more fun on a longboard, and light offshore wind is grooming them.
Bay Street (Santa Monica) surf guide
A gentle Santa Monica sandbar break, good for learners and longboards · 2 things to watch
Bay Street (Santa Monica) guide
A gentle Santa Monica sandbar break, good for learners and longboards.
- Good for
- Beginners and longboards; shortboards on good sandbars.
- The wave
- Lefts and rights off shifting peaks; it closes out once the swell gets big.
- Watch for
- The Pico-Kenter storm drain empties here: stay out 72 hours after rain.
- Crowds on summer weekends.
- Best when
- Best on a SW to W swell (220°–270°) with NE offshore wind, at low to mid tide (about 0.5–3 ft).
MoreLess about Bay Street (Santa Monica)
Longboards at 1.5–3.5 ft, shortboards at 2.5–5 ft. Works year-round, on south swells in spring and summer and west swells in fall and winter.
This stretch was the Inkwell, where Black Angelenos gathered during the Jim Crow era. A city landmark here honors Nick Gabaldón, the bay's earliest documented surfer of color, and the beach is a listed national historic district.
Away from the pier, Santa Monica's water tests clean in dry months and poorly after storms. The pier, a few blocks north, is still one of the state's dirtiest beaches.
- Local tip
- Park in the big beach lot facing the break, the easiest parking on this stretch. Come early, before the midday onshore wind.
GOOD TIDE TODAY9:55 AM–4:15 PM
Guide updated October 2026
Spot research: WannaSurf, Surf-Forecast, Wavind, Surfline, Heal the Bay, Santa Monica Mirror, Wikipedia and LA County Public Health.
Send a spot correctionNo cam for this spot yet.
Live buoy Santa Monica Bay
- WAVES
- 4.0 ft
- PERIOD
- 7s
- FROM
- W 261°
- WATER
- 74°
Observed 1:30 PM · 53 min old
7-day surf
LB longboard · SB shortboard
Thu 12 PM · now
3–4 ft · waist to chest ·
8 mph, gusts 9, onshore · tide 0.9 ft falling
Swell near the beach: 2.9 ft every 13 s from SW
| Time | Surf | Rating | Wind | Tide |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Thu 12 AM | 3–4 ft | Longboard Good, shortboard Good, dark hours | 5 mph, gusts 6, offshore | 0.6 ft and falling |
| Thu 3 AM | 3–4 ft | Longboard Good, shortboard Good | 5 mph, gusts 9, offshore | 2.7 ft and rising |
| Thu 6 AM | 3–4 ft | Longboard Good, shortboard Good | 6 mph, gusts 8, offshore | 5.5 ft and rising |
| Thu 9 AM | 3–4 ft | Longboard Good, shortboard Good | 2 mph, gusts 3, glassy | 4.0 ft and falling |
| Thu 12 PM | 3–4 ft | Longboard Fair, shortboard Poor–Fair | 8 mph, gusts 9, onshore | 0.9 ft and falling |
| Thu 3 PM | 3–4 ft | Longboard Fair, shortboard Poor–Fair | 8 mph, gusts 11, onshore | 1.7 ft and rising |
| Thu 6 PM | 3–4 ft | Longboard Poor–Fair, shortboard Poor–Fair, dark hours | 10 mph, gusts 15, onshore | 4.3 ft and rising |
| Thu 9 PM | 2–3 ft | Longboard Good, shortboard Fair–Good, dark hours | 8 mph, gusts 10, offshore | 3.4 ft and falling |
| Fri 12 AM | 2–3 ft | Longboard Good, shortboard Fair–Good, dark hours | 6 mph, gusts 8, offshore | 1.1 ft and falling |
| Fri 3 AM | 2–3 ft | Longboard Good, shortboard Fair–Good | 5 mph offshore | 2.5 ft and rising |
| Fri 6 AM | 2–3 ft | Longboard Good, shortboard Fair | 6 mph offshore | 5.6 ft and rising |
| Fri 9 AM | 2–3 ft | Longboard Good, shortboard Fair | 6 mph, gusts 7, cross-offshore | 4.7 ft and falling |
| Fri 12 PM | 2–3 ft | Longboard Fair, shortboard Poor–Fair | 7 mph, gusts 8, onshore | 1.0 ft and falling |
| Fri 3 PM | 2–3 ft | Longboard Fair, shortboard Poor–Fair | 6 mph, gusts 8, onshore | 0.7 ft and rising |
| Fri 6 PM | 2–3 ft | Longboard Good, shortboard Fair, dark hours | 5 mph offshore | 3.6 ft and rising |
| Fri 9 PM | 2–3 ft | Longboard Good, shortboard Fair, dark hours | 9 mph, gusts 13, offshore | 3.9 ft and falling |
| Sat 12 AM | 2–3 ft | Longboard Fair–Good, shortboard Poor–Fair, dark hours | 12 mph, gusts 16, cross-offshore | 1.6 ft and falling |
| Sat 3 AM | 2–3 ft | Longboard Fair–Good, shortboard Fair | 9 mph, gusts 12, cross-offshore | 2.3 ft and rising |
| Sat 6 AM | 2–3 ft | Longboard Fair–Good, shortboard Poor–Fair | 8 mph, gusts 13, cross-offshore | 5.5 ft and rising |
| Sat 9 AM | 2–3 ft | Longboard Fair–Good, shortboard Fair | 7 mph, gusts 12, offshore | 5.3 ft and falling |
| Sat 12 PM | 2–3 ft | Longboard Fair–Good, shortboard Poor–Fair | 4 mph cross-onshore | 1.3 ft and falling |
| Sat 3 PM | 2–3 ft | Longboard Poor–Fair, shortboard Poor–Fair | 8 mph onshore | −0.1 ft and rising |
| Sat 6 PM | 2–3 ft | Longboard Good, shortboard Fair, dark hours | 1 mph, gusts 5, glassy | 2.7 ft and rising |
| Sat 9 PM | 2–3 ft | Longboard Fair–Good, shortboard Fair, dark hours | 6 mph cross-offshore | 4.1 ft and falling |
| Sun 12 AM | 2–3 ft | Longboard Good, shortboard Fair, dark hours | 5 mph, gusts 6, cross-offshore | 2.2 ft and falling |
| Sun 3 AM | 2–3 ft | Longboard Good, shortboard Fair | 6 mph cross-offshore | 2.3 ft and rising |
| Sun 6 AM | 2–3 ft | Longboard Fair–Good, shortboard Poor–Fair | 6 mph, gusts 7, cross-offshore | 5.3 ft and rising |
| Sun 9 AM | 2–3 ft | Longboard Fair–Good, shortboard Poor–Fair | 5 mph, gusts 7, offshore | 5.8 ft and falling |
| Sun 12 PM | 2–3 ft | Longboard Good, shortboard Fair | 1 mph, gusts 2, glassy | 2.0 ft and falling |
| Sun 3 PM | 2–3 ft | Longboard Fair, shortboard Poor–Fair | 6 mph onshore | −0.4 ft and rising |
| Sun 6 PM | 2–3 ft | Longboard Fair, shortboard Poor–Fair, dark hours | 5 mph, gusts 7, onshore | 1.8 ft and rising |
| Sun 9 PM | 2–3 ft | Longboard Fair–Good, shortboard Fair, dark hours | 4 mph cross-offshore | 4.0 ft and rising |
| Mon 12 AM | 2–3 ft | Longboard Good, shortboard Fair, dark hours | 5 mph cross-offshore | 2.7 ft and falling |
| Mon 3 AM | 2–3 ft | Longboard Good, shortboard Fair | 5 mph cross-offshore | 2.3 ft and rising |
| Mon 6 AM | 2–3 ft | Longboard Good, shortboard Fair | 5 mph cross-offshore | 5.0 ft and rising |
| Mon 9 AM | 2–3 ft | Longboard Good, shortboard Fair | 3 mph, gusts 4, offshore | 6.0 ft and falling |
| Mon 12 PM | 2–3 ft | Longboard Fair–Good, shortboard Fair | 4 mph onshore | 2.7 ft and falling |
| Mon 3 PM | 2–3 ft | Longboard Fair, shortboard Poor–Fair | 5 mph onshore | −0.4 ft and falling |
| Mon 6 PM | 2–3 ft | Longboard Fair–Good, shortboard Fair, dark hours | 4 mph, gusts 6, onshore | 1.0 ft and rising |
| Mon 9 PM | 2–3 ft | Longboard Good, shortboard Fair–Good, dark hours | 2 mph, gusts 3, glassy | 3.6 ft and rising |
| Tue 12 AM | 2–3 ft | Longboard Good, shortboard Fair–Good, dark hours | 2 mph glassy | 3.1 ft and falling |
| Tue 3 AM | 2–3 ft | Longboard Good, shortboard Fair–Good | 2 mph glassy | 2.4 ft and rising |
| Tue 6 AM | 2–3 ft | Longboard Good, shortboard Fair | 3 mph cross-offshore | 4.6 ft and rising |
| Tue 9 AM | 2–3 ft | Longboard Fair–Good, shortboard Fair | 2 mph glassy | 6.0 ft and falling |
| Tue 12 PM | 2–3 ft | Longboard Fair–Good, shortboard Fair | 4 mph cross-onshore | 3.4 ft and falling |
| Tue 3 PM | 2–3 ft | Longboard Fair, shortboard Poor–Fair | 6 mph onshore | −0.1 ft and falling |
| Tue 6 PM | 2–3 ft | Longboard Fair, shortboard Poor–Fair, dark hours | 4 mph, gusts 6, onshore | 0.4 ft and rising |
| Tue 9 PM | 2–3 ft | Longboard Good, shortboard Fair, dark hours | 2 mph, gusts 3, glassy | 3.0 ft and rising |
| Wed 12 AM | 2–3 ft | Longboard Good, shortboard Fair, dark hours | 1 mph, gusts 2, glassy | 3.3 ft and falling |
| Wed 3 AM | 2–3 ft | Longboard Good, shortboard Fair | 2 mph glassy | 2.6 ft and rising |
| Wed 6 AM | 2–3 ft | Longboard Good, shortboard Fair | 3 mph offshore | 4.2 ft and rising |
| Wed 9 AM | 2–3 ft | Longboard Fair–Good, shortboard Poor–Fair | 2 mph glassy | 5.9 ft and rising |
| Wed 12 PM | 2–3 ft | Longboard Fair, shortboard Poor–Fair | 5 mph onshore | 4.0 ft and falling |
| Wed 3 PM | Waves unavailable | Longboard Unavailable, shortboard Unavailable | 8 mph onshore | 0.5 ft and falling |
| Wed 6 PM | Waves unavailable | Longboard Unavailable, shortboard Unavailable, dark hours | 4 mph, gusts 6, onshore | 0.1 ft and rising |
| Wed 9 PM | Waves unavailable | Longboard Unavailable, shortboard Unavailable, dark hours | 2 mph, gusts 4, glassy | 2.3 ft and rising |
Today’s tide
GOOD 9:55 AM–4:15 PM
Santa Monica · feet above low water
Swell
Wave forecast checked against the live Santa Monica Bay buoy.
Updated 2:03 PM · CDIP/Scripps, Open-Meteo and NOAA.
Common questions
Is Bay Street (Santa Monica) good for beginners?
Yes, it’s a good place to learn.
What tide is best at Bay Street (Santa Monica)?
It’s best at low to mid tide (about 0.5–3 ft).
What swell works at Bay Street (Santa Monica)?
A SW to W swell (220°–270°) is best, with NE offshore wind. It picks up swell from S to WNW (185°–285°). Works year-round, on south swells in spring and summer and west swells in fall and winter.
What board should I ride at Bay Street (Santa Monica)?
Either works: longboards at 1.5–3.5 ft, shortboards at 2.5–5 ft.
What should I watch out for at Bay Street (Santa Monica)?
The Pico-Kenter storm drain empties here, so stay out 72 hours after rain; and crowds on summer weekends.